The hottest Russian history Substack posts right now

Massive social achievements and violent repression coexisted side by side, with everyday enthusiasm and large-scale projects happening even as purges and executions destroyed lives.
The motives behind the Great Terror remain unclear and puzzling; simple explanations like paranoia or routine power consolidation don't fully account for its scale and who was targeted.
Properly explaining the purges requires a wide historical perspective and diverse sources—archival records, biographies, and personal testimonies—to capture both political calculations and lived experience.

Communism looks good in theory but often fails in practice. Many historical attempts at communism ended badly for countries involved.
Some people feel nostalgic for the idea of the Soviet Union, viewing it as a time of unity and purpose, despite its real flaws.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, many Russians struggled with the chaos and loneliness of capitalism, missing the sense of community and shared sacrifice they once had.

Boris Yeltsin was a misunderstood figure in Russian history.
Yeltsin faced extreme challenges while Putin had it easier.
Yeltsin governed during difficult economic times while Putin ruled in prosperous years.

Omsk was a modest provincial city in the 1850s that had lost much of its military role but later grew through construction and civic improvements under the Governor-General.
The Western Siberian military and administrative leadership was largely non-Russian, dominated by Germans, Swedes, Poles, Latvians and Finns, creating a distinctly foreign-led local elite.
Patronage among these officers placed compatriots into positions, sometimes despite little relevant experience, so local commanders often relied on imported personnel rather than native Russian officers.

A flood of refugees from Ukraine and Russia is impacting Georgia's infrastructure and banking system.
Russia has a history of absorbing parts of Georgia and currently has troops stationed there.
Georgia's history is intertwined with the violent and chaotic legacy of Stalin, influencing both Kremlin tactics and Georgian politics.

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Putin's narrative about eternal Russia leads to war, genocide, and fascism.
Putin's selective view of history distorts facts and justifies aggressive actions like invading neighbors and committing genocide.
Putin's attempt to rewrite history to fit his narrative is dangerous and leads to a distorted view of the past that justifies atrocities.

The vocabulary surrounding the Prigozhin mutiny in Russia includes terms like 'bardak', 'bezobrazie', and 'bespredel' which reflect different levels of mess, outrage, and lawlessness.
Commentators have drawn parallels between the current Russian conflicts and the criminal world, using terms like 'razborki' and 'ponyatiya' to describe power struggles and unwritten codes of conduct.
People have evoked historical events like the Time of Troubles and the Russian Civil War to make sense of the Prigozhin drama, highlighting similarities and warning against the potential consequences of conflicts like the Kornilov mutiny.

Astrakhan is an important city in Russia located at the mouth of the Volga River, connecting Eastern Europe to Central Asia. It has a rich history, thriving trade, and a diverse population.
The city's landscape includes many rivers and islands, making it very beautiful and unique. The stunning cathedral in Astrakhan adds to its charm.
Astrakhan showcases a mix of cultures and religions, with many churches, mosques, and a community that values harmony. The local economy is mainly focused on fishing, shipping, and trade.

Russia’s 1917 upheaval mixed long-term inequality and wartime collapse with a spontaneous February revolt that was later seized by a small, well-organized Bolshevik party in October.
The Bolsheviks consolidated power through careful planning, political violence, and institutions like the Cheka, crushing rivals and imposing Soviet rule across diverse national and social groups.
The Soviet approach left a lasting legacy: chaotic 1990s privatization helped create oligarchs, and Putin revived security‑state instincts, favoring insider rule, secrecy, and suppression of dissent.